Flush type outlet fixture



Oct. 27, 1953 J. w. WIESMANN FLUSH TYPE OUTLET FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1948 Ens! INVENTOR. gy/asc b/Mbamm Oct. 27, 1953 J. w. WIESMANN 2,657,250

FLUSH TYPE OUTLET FIXTURE Filed June 23, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. Jase 6A M Mamdnn B Y Q Mani-lik- Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSH TYPE OUTLET FIXTURE Joseph William Wiesmann, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to H. H. Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 23, 1948, Serial No. 34,808

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a wire distributing fioor structure and more particularly to an outlet fixture for a wire distributing fioor.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved flush type fioor outlet fixture for a Wire distributing fioor, whose structure is such as to facilitate installation of the fixture in a wire distributing duct, and which is capable of being adjusted in a simple eificient manner to conform to the level of the finished flooring.

With this general object in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the fiush type fioor outlet fixture for a wire distributing floor and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claim at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred em bodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wire distributing fiooring duct embodying the present outlet fixture; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with the wire distributing duct shown in cross section; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the fixture as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fixture with the receptacle carrying portion removed; Figs. 5, 6- and 7 are views in plan, side and bottom elevations respectively of the receptacle carrying portion of the fixture; and Figs. 8 and 9 are cross sectional views taken on the lines 88 and 9-9 respectively of Fig. 4 illustrating the means for adjusting the fixture to conform to the level of the finished floor- In general, the present invention contemplates a novel and improved electric outlet fixture or flush floor outlet adapted for use in a wire distributing flooring system embodying a multicellular metal flooring having a plurality of spaced cells or ducts through which the wires may be drawn to provide electrical service to different parts of the building. The present fixture is adapted for connection to the upper wall of a cell or duct and is arranged to support the socket or receptacle portion of a plug and receptacle connector for supplying electrical service directly from the fioor. In its preferred form the present fixture is characterized by structure enabling the same to be quickly and easily installed in a wire distributing duct; which may be easily adjusted to align the upper surface of the fixture level with the fioor finish;-and which is easily accessible for wiring and installation of the receptacle or for replacement thereof. In practice, the present fixture may be installed in a wiring duct prior to layingthe concrete'fill and the floor finish or, it

2 may be installed in an existing wire distributing floor by breaking through the concrete at the point designed to expose the upper wall of the duct, after which the fixture may be installed and leveled to the height of the fioor finish and then surrounded by the concrete fill.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a wire distributing flooring system such as is disclosed in the United States Patents to Young, No. 1,855,032 and Young et al., No. 2,125,366. Such systems embody a multicellular metal flooring through which the wires may be drawn to provide electrical service in the building and as herein shown, it represents one type of cellular metal flooring used in the erection of buildings which comprises an upper corrugated sheet 52 and a lower corrugated sheet it welded together to form a series of spaced parallel hollow ducts or cells iii upon the top of which a concrete fill it and fioor finish 2b may be laid to complete the fioor.

[is herein illustrated the improved outlet fireture comprises, in general, a hollow cylindrical sheet metal base fitting 22 arranged to be secured to the upper wall 24 of a wire distributing duct or cell 16; a hollow cylindrical body member 2? telescopically fitted into the base and adjustably secured thereto; and a receptacle carrying portion 28 detachably fitted into the body portion 255 and arranged to support an electric receptacle 3c in operative position to receive a plug, not shown, to provide an electrical connection directly from the floor.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 3, the hollow cylindrical base fitting 22 is provided with an outwardly extended flange 32 at its upper end for supporting the body member 26, and is shaped its lower end to provide a crimped or grommet connection 3d with the marginal edges of an opening 36 formed in the upper wall 2 1 of the duct. As herein shown, the lower end of the base fitting is flanged inwardly, the inner edge of the flange being slightly curved or rolled as indicated at 33, and then extended downwardly to provide an integral depending annular rim portion lt, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In practice, the depending rim portion fill is extended into the opening 35 and then crirnped or spread outwardly against the underside of the duct wall, as indicated in full lines, to form the grommet connection 34 and thus providing a bashed opening about the edges of the duct opening 36.

The grommet connection may and preferably will be formed by a grommet crimping tool of the type illustrated and described in my, United 3 States Patent No. 2,399,776 issued May 7, 1946, which is particularly adapted for use in bushing an opening in a closed duct wall and in which the duct is accessible from but one side thereof. In using the grommet crimping tool, a separable lower die portion is first extended through the base fitting disposed in assembled relation with the duct wall and the die is then "expanded to cooperate with an upper die portion bearing against the curved upper portion of the connec tion. Pressure is then applied to crimp the'grommet connection 3 t about the duct opening 36, as illustrated. The base fitting .22 and -preierably will be attached to the duct wall 24 before the body member 26 is assembled there'- with.

As above stated, the body member 26 is arranged to be adjustably secured to the base "fitting22 and, as herein shown, the body member comprises a hollow cylindrical sheet metal portion having anoutwardly extended flange 44 at its upper end and having its lower end curved inwardly slightly as shown at 43 to facilitate insertion of the unit into telescopic relation to the base member. The upper end of the portion 42 is formed integrally withan annular rim portionhaving an upstanding wall 46 and an inwardly extended flange "48, the flange 44 of the portion 42 being attached to the annular rim portion by spinning *a-rel'atively narrow depending rim '50 of the upstanding wall 46 over the outer marginal edge of the flange 44, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

I In practice, the upper surface 52 or the upstanding rim 46 is arranged flush with the sur face of the floor finish 20 and, in accordance therewith, provision is made for adjustably supporting the body member 26 vertically from the base'fitting 22in order to accommodate the unit to difi'ferent heights of floor thickness and to permit angular adjustment of the unit with relation to the base member and the duct to dispose the upper surface of the unit level with the surface of the floor. As best shown in Figs. "8 and 9, the body member is adjustably supported by adjusting and locking screws 54, 5B respective- 11y, the screws 54 being provided with slotted heads arranged to extend upwardly through an fopening in the flange 48 and the underside of the flange 4B bearing against a shouldered por "the flange 32 of the base fitting 22. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there are three adjusting screws 54 equally spaced circumferenti ally so that the body unit may be adjusted to the height andhorizontal level of the floor finish. Thereafter, the flat head locking screws 56 which extend through the flange 48 and are threadedly engaged'with the flange32 are tightened down into locking position so that the upper surfaces of the heads of both the adjusting screws and the locking screws are flush with the upper surface or the flange 48.

As shown in "Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the receptacle carrying portion 28 comprises a cup-shaped mem" her having an outwardly extended flange 60'at its upper end arranged to fit snugly into the Y recessed portion of the annular rim, the flange 60 resting on the upper surface of the flange '18.

Two washers 62, 64, one of which may be metal and the other of cork or other yieldable material, may then be placed in the recess on top of the with a central opening arranged to receive the head of the receptacle 30 extended upwardly therethrough The lower portion 10 of the receptacle provides a shoulder arranged to bear against the underside of the member 28 and the receptacle ma be 'attached to the carrying member by screws 12, as shown, leaving the upper end of the receptacle exposed to be connected by a cooperating plug to provide an electrical connection directly from the floor. It will be understood that prior to assembly of the receptacle carrying member 28 with the body-member 26, the receptacle 30 may be assembled with the member 28 and connected to the wiring in the duct 16. In practice, the receptacle carrying member 28 may vary in size and shape to accommodate the particular type of receptacle required in an installation.

From the above description of the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be seen that the present outlet fixture may be quickly and economically installed in an underfloor wiring duct or conduit or an existing wire distributing system and that the unit may be easily adjusted vertically and angularly to the levelof the finished flooring. It will also be observed that the manner of attaching the outlet unit to the duct provides a bushed opening in the duct toprotect the wires from the rough edges of the opening cut therein. It will be further observed that the present structure of the floor outlet'fixture is readily accessible to permit the receptacleand its supporting member to be quickly detached for replacement or repair. In practice, suitable closures, water guard risers, plugs or other --accessories may be employed with the present-fixture in accordance with the requirements of the trade.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understoodthat the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope ofth'e following claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

For use with a metal wire distributing floor having wiring ducts, a flush type outlet'fl-xture comprising a generally cup-shaped sheet metal base member provided with an outwardly extended rim at its upper end and provided in its bottom wall with 'a relatively large opening and a downwardly turned flange surrounding the opening for insertion into a hole in theupper Wall of the wiring duct and adapted to be crimped over the edge of the opening to form a bushing therefor and for securing the base memberdn operative position on the top of the duct, a- -holmember and an electrical receptacle secured to Number said carrying member, the top of said receptacle 1,693,682 being disposed below the top of said flange on 1,884,424 the receptacle carrying member. 1,925,849 JOSEPH WILLIAM WIESMANN. 5 2,033,602 2,063,569 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,335,906

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10 Number 1,069,425 Hornbeck Aug. 5, 1913 168,868 1,197,644 Lutz Sept. 12, 1916 885,519

Name Date Walker Dec. 4, 1928 Walker Oct; 25, 1932 Sharp Sept. 5, 1933 Adam Mar. 10, 1936 Walker Dec. 8, 1936 Blinn Dec. '7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland July 16, 1934 France Sept. 17, 1943 

